#brokenpromises, Black Deaths, & Blue Ribbons: Understanding, Complicating, and Transcending Police-community Violence

Many urban centres are shaken to their core with mistrust between communities and law enforcement. Erosion was exacerbated in the Obama-era, intensified during the 2016 campaign, and is violently manifested in Trump’s presidency. The promise of uniting communities articulated by leaders lays broken. The text suggests that promise of prosperous and engaged urban citizenry will remain broken until we can honestly address the following unanswered questions: What factors contribute to the creation of divided communities? What happened to erode trust between community and law enforcement? What concerns and challenges do law enforcement officials have relating to policing within urban centres? What are the experiences of residents and police? And, finally, whose lives really matter, and how do we move forward?

Contributors are: Lawrence Baines, Amber C. Bryant, Erica L. Bumpers, Issac Carter, Justin A. Cole, Erin Dreeszen, Jaquial Durham, Antonio Ellis, Idara Essien, Jeffrey M. Frank, Beatriz Gonzalez, Aaron J. Griffen, Jennie L. Hanna, Diane M. Harnek Hall, Cleveland Hayes, Deanna Hayes-Wilson, Stacey Hill, Jim L. Hollar, Taharee A. Jackson, Melinda Jackson-Jefferson, Sharon D. Jones-Eversley, Stephen M. Lentz, Patricia Maloney, Isiah Marshall, Jr., Derrick McKisick, Rebecca Neal, Ariel Quinio, Jacqueline M. Rhoden-Trader, Derrick Robinson, Ebony B. Rose, Randa Suleiman, Clarice Thomas, Kerri J. Tobin, Eddie Vanderhorst, Rolanda L. Ward, Deondra Warner, John Williams, Deleon M. Wilson, Geoffrey L. Wood, Jemimah L. Young, and Jie Yu.

Kenneth J. Fasching-Varner, Ph.D. (2009), The Ohio State University, is the Shirely B. Barton Endowed Associate Professor of Education at Louisiana State University. He has published many articles, books, and book chapters addressing race and racial equity, including Trayvon Martin, Race, and American Justice: Writing Wrong (Sense, 2014).

Kerri J. Tobin, Ph.D. (2011), Vanderbilt University, is Assistant Professor of Education at Louisiana State University. She has published numerous articles, books, and book chapters on homelessness and social justice, including Homelessness Comes To School (Corwin Press, 2011).

Stephen M. Lenz, J.D. (2002), Syracuse University, is Instructor of Paralegal Studies at Baton Rouge Community College. Lentz is a former Assistant District Attorney in Luzerne County Pennsylvania, as well as a classroom teacher in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and New York.